Rutgers University: What Can Bones Tell Us
Brief Summary
What do you do when you discover remains at a construction site? You call Rutgers professor Dr. Kimberlee Moran, Director of Forensic Science at Rutgers, to uncover the past.
Overview
As part of my work at Rutgers University, I often highlighted professors and students working in the "real world" as it relates to their subject matter expertise or major. Knowing that Rutgers-Camden was going to be soon launching a Master's in Forensic Science program, my team was focused on engaging prospective students. This project emphasized the scope Rutgers has in the forensic space, and the connections and type of work students could expect. Additionally, the Arch Street Dig gained national media attention, and we wanted to get our professors and students in that conversation.
My Role
Producer, Shooter, and Editor
The Challenge
How do you start work on a video project without knowing the full story of the subject matter?
The Process
I was first introduced to Dr. Kimberlee Moran through my colleagues who had heard she was working on a local dig. A local dig in Philadelphia? My ears perked up. Not knowing much about the story, I started by googling “Arch Street” and “remains” and then almost immediately reached out to Kimberlee. After a few emails back and forth, she invited me to join her class--the first batch of students who would be investigating the bones after they were excavated from Arch Street. Once I sat in on her class, we captured our initial interview to go over how she came across the project, the role of Rutgers, and the timeline for what happened next. Developing this relationship with her allowed me to keep up-to-date with progress students were making, and I was regularly invited to “key” events, such as a coffin opening and field work at the Mutter Museum. After several months of following the story, an initial video was created. Based on the success of the first video (and hours of video still untouched), a second video was created to highlight the particular story of Benjamin Britton, the only coffin with a name attached to it.
The Solution
Two dynamic videos that highlight the work of Rutgers faculty, the unique research opportunity presented to students, and partnerships with local researchers and museums.
Impact
Content from both videos was used in Rutgers-Camden magazine, and was also circulated to local media outlets. These videos were also used to promote a new Master’s in Forensic Science program.
Final Products
What do you do when you discover remains at a construction site? You call Rutgers professor Dr. Kimberlee Moran, Director of Forensic Science at Rutgers, to uncover the past.
Overview
As part of my work at Rutgers University, I often highlighted professors and students working in the "real world" as it relates to their subject matter expertise or major. Knowing that Rutgers-Camden was going to be soon launching a Master's in Forensic Science program, my team was focused on engaging prospective students. This project emphasized the scope Rutgers has in the forensic space, and the connections and type of work students could expect. Additionally, the Arch Street Dig gained national media attention, and we wanted to get our professors and students in that conversation.
My Role
Producer, Shooter, and Editor
The Challenge
How do you start work on a video project without knowing the full story of the subject matter?
The Process
I was first introduced to Dr. Kimberlee Moran through my colleagues who had heard she was working on a local dig. A local dig in Philadelphia? My ears perked up. Not knowing much about the story, I started by googling “Arch Street” and “remains” and then almost immediately reached out to Kimberlee. After a few emails back and forth, she invited me to join her class--the first batch of students who would be investigating the bones after they were excavated from Arch Street. Once I sat in on her class, we captured our initial interview to go over how she came across the project, the role of Rutgers, and the timeline for what happened next. Developing this relationship with her allowed me to keep up-to-date with progress students were making, and I was regularly invited to “key” events, such as a coffin opening and field work at the Mutter Museum. After several months of following the story, an initial video was created. Based on the success of the first video (and hours of video still untouched), a second video was created to highlight the particular story of Benjamin Britton, the only coffin with a name attached to it.
The Solution
Two dynamic videos that highlight the work of Rutgers faculty, the unique research opportunity presented to students, and partnerships with local researchers and museums.
Impact
Content from both videos was used in Rutgers-Camden magazine, and was also circulated to local media outlets. These videos were also used to promote a new Master’s in Forensic Science program.
Final Products